I'm a big fan of war documentaries about particular battles, they're a great source for gaming material and I'm guilty of stealing from them a lot. Here are some recent ones that I've really taken inspiration from. Remember a game like this is not only about fighting and combat, but what happens in the downtime in between.

"Chosin", the battle of the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War, in which US Marines (nicknamed "The Chosin Few") were heavily outnumbered by Chinese forces.

"Restrepo", about Operation Post Restrepo situated in the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan and the men who fought in one of the most dangerous regions of the Aghanistan War.

"Armadillo" is a film about Danish soldiers fighting in Afghanistan, mostly deals with how soliders deal with the general populace of an area they're occupying.

Radwraith said:

Progressive and introspective? In the Imperium? Good thing we're not playing DH! "Lord inquisitor? Sir, I'm uncomfortable with the Idea of using torture to gain information on that heretical cult. Perhaps they are just misunderstood and not Heretics at all! Inquistor: I understand my son...<BLAM!>

Of course the results might be much the same if you fed a similar line to your Comissar!

I've levelled quite a few adventures in the past at PC's having to question their own morality and principles, against becoming powerful and influential members of the Imperium. This ranged from essentially waging a terrorist campaign against an ecclesiarchy sect that was 'unpopular' with the mainstream, conservative elements of the church (think Branch Davidians vs al-Qaeda, with the odd virus munition planet in the church on holy days), destabilised planetary factions with economic warfare to favour themselves, organised a war and materials to purge an entire planets backwater, hairy arse population so they could set it up as an agri-world and get really filthy rich. Ultimately as part of a scorched earth policy to deny the great enemy a large amount of resources during the early stages of the 13th black crusade, one of them pulled the trigger on his own homeworld with exterminatus.

They where nasty little cocksuckers and not once did they pursue an alternative... whole 3+year campaign was basically one long running social experiment on just 'how terrible' a person you have to be, to get somewhere in the Imperial mechanism. In hindsight, the current Black Crusade characters are probably far nicer to the average imperial peon than the Dark Heresy ones ever where!

MKX said:

Sadly, I have played with too many groups like that! Their good guys are too evil too mention and their "bad" guys are noble and level headed by comparison! Really depressing sometimes!

Back on topic! What about the movie that inspired the whole "Space hulk" Genre? Aliens anyone?

 "All right, sweethearts, what are you waiting for? Breakfast in bed? Another glorious day in the Guard! A day in the Imperial Guard is like a day on the farm. Every meal''s a banquet! Every paycheck a fortune! Every formation a parade! I LOVE the Guard!"

 ►►►►

AluminiumWolf said:

VERY nice  Sgt. Apone is a classic!

The opening scene from "enemy at the gates" makes me think about how the Imperial guard fights many of its wars

Saving private Ryan

Black Hawk down for a more elite represenation of Imperial Guard

Stalingrad (the German Movie) for a really really gritty city battle

Heartbreak Ridge: "Lets keep it simple then…You got your boots on you can march into combat!"

Best line from Generation Kill "If you want logistics, join the Army, Marines make due".

People have already mentioned Stalingrad, but I think it deserves special mention for what happens when the PC's squad screws something up in the midst of a war/battle and they become part of a penal squad! This would be a great GM trick to keep in the back of your mind, instead of killing the PCs outright by a overzealous Commissar you have them reassigned. Come to think of it, that also puts them into the Dirty Dozen which I don't think was mentioned. I run my game that people with specialized skills (like the players) are not necessarily expendable fodder and likely have some specific use or mission. I loved the scene where the soldier/prisoners are assigned to clear a minefield. That reminds me of Kelly's Heros, a different type of guard game altogether…

 Always with the negative waves Moriarty, always with the negative waves. 

Any war film is almost inexhaustible source of inspiration (I still dont understand how can anybody claim, that there are no possibilities for roleplaying in Only War..), writers are using it already, I am not sure if it was in Achillus Assault or Jericho Reach, but there is self-explaining mission hint named "Guns of Samech", what about the sequel, "Force 10 from Samech"? 

 Guns of Navarone

Where Eagles dare

Dirty dozen 

Inglorious Basterds

Galipolli

Heart break ridge definatly "that is the sound of an ork shoota, the prefered weapon of our enemy"

sharpe

zulu

starship troopers

a bridge to far

Zakalwe said:

The movie is more IG but the book is a little more SM

well i just got done watching "The Hatfields and McCoys"  i think it would make for an interesting campain setting. two regements( families) who find themselves in the same warzones over and over again, and as time goes by the friendly rivalry that developed into mutual respect, degrades into all out interregemental warfare, complete with officer assasinations and sabatoge and what not.